History is replete with stories of good people with intention to deliver and meet the yearnings of their people but were cut down midstream in the morning of their lives. One of such sad stories that hit the Nigeria forty five years ago was the case of Murtala Mohammed. The military head of state, the 4th in the history of the nation, was killed in a military coup masterminded by Col Buka Suka Dimka.
Dimka’s coup ended Murtala’s 198 days reign in power after he had dislodged Gen Yakubu Gowon in another military putsch. on February 13, 1976, he was murdered on his way to work while he was being driven in his official black Mercedes Benz car as he was caught up in traffic.
According to an account “On the day Gen. Murtala Muhammed was killed, he was driven in an official black Mercedes Benz saloon car and escorted by his Aide-de-camp (ADC), Akintunde Akinsheinwa, an orderly, Michael Otuwu (the only survivor of the attack) and a driver. The only visible sign of protection was a pistol carried by Michael Otuwu. All it took the assailant was just a traffic controller who while carrying out his duty, stopped on the lane the Head of State’s Mercedes-Benz car was at the time of the incident.
“Lt. Col. Dimka and his boys opened fire on the General’s car and killed everyone in it except the orderly, Michael Otuwu who still lives to tell his part of the story. Otuwu explained that he had earlier seen a man on babanriga (Hausa traditional attire) approach their car immediately it stopped (this man was later identified to be Dimka).
“He (Dimka) shot the driver in the head, then other soldiers loyal to him ran towards the car and opened fire”. He furthered, “Murtala would have survived the attack had the coup plotters not noticed the door of his car opened shortly after it was riddled with bullets from AK-47 assault rifles. The moment Dimka’s boys noticed the opened door; another rain of bullets fell on the car and killed Murtala this time.”
Dimka and his group shortly after made for the radio station, the National Broadcasting Corporation, (NBC) as the then Radio Nigeria was called to announce his ‘heroic feat’ and the reasons for his action.
“Fellow Nigerians… On the 29th July 1975 the Government of General Gowon was overthrown. “Some of the reasons given for the change were: corruption; indecision; arrest and detention without trial; weakness on the part of the Head of State; maladministration in general and a host of other malpractice. Every honest Nigerian will agree with me that since the changeover of government, there has not been any physical development in the whole country generally.”
On the dismissals and retirements of public servants in the fight against corruption and inefficiency, Dimka’s speech read further:
“All we have is arbitrary dismissal of innocent Nigerians who have contributed in no fewer amounts to the building of this great nation… The sad point about it all is that those who initiated the retirement or dismissal exercise are the worst offenders. You will be informed about the ill-gotten wealth in my next announcement.
The people of this country have been living in a state of fear. They (referring to General Muhammed and his fellow coup plotters that ousted General Gowon from power) in fact took over power to enrich themselves.
“In view of what I have just said and a lot more which time will not permit me to mention, we the Young Revolutionaries have once again taken over the Government to save Murtala from total disgrace and prevent him from committing further blunders and totally collapsing the country before he runs away in the name of retirement to enjoy the huge fortune he got through bribe which he has now stored outside this country. I believe that charity should begin at home.
Murtala Mohammed mounted the saddle of leadership on July 30, 1975 but was killed less than seven months later in an abortive coup of February 13, 1976. But before his assassination, Murtala Mohammed had left his footprints on the sands of time.
His low profile and flamboyance-shunning approach to governance; zero tolerance for graft, ineptitude and laxity; and resolution of issues with despatch, which has come to be known as ‘military alacrity,’ endeared him to most Nigerians but also won for him, strident critics and enemies, who opposed his style.
It was this low profile disposition many believe that accounted for his killing because in relation to the current practice it is inconceivable that such a high profile person would allow himself be driven on such roads where he would be trapped by traffic jam. He drove without the usual siren and huge security details that usually announce the presence of such personalities like him.
Fast track to the moment, our public office holders even as low as local government chairmen, commissioners now move with pomp and pageantry carrying retinue of security personnel without minding the cost and inconvenience to the government.
Crucial decisions of Murtala Muhammed according to a reported account: Benefiting from the toppling of General Yakubu Gowon, on account of failure to meet the expectations of Nigerians, reneging on returning power to civilians, ruling the country without consultation, neglecting the armed forces and being insensitive to the yearnings of Nigerians among others, Murtala Mohammed had before him urgent and crucial decisions take. And that he did with dispatch in an unmistakable manner.
Beginning with his first broadcast, Mohammed announced a series of initiatives, which he pursued with a dizzying speed. The initial decisions included: Retirement of Gowon, then serving military governors and some members of the Armed Forces with immediate effect; reorganizing the structure of the Federal Government into three organs – the Supreme Military Council, National Council of States and Federal Executive Council; promise to review the political programme and to set up panels on the question of new states and the federal capital; and cancellation of the controversial 1973 population census and reversion to the 1963 census among others.
He was to follow up with more concrete steps. He announced plans for an orderly return to civilian rule by October 1, 1979. He appointed a 50-man Constitution Drafting Committee headed by Chief Rotimi Williams, to hammer out a new constitution for the country in readiness for the return to civil rule. Panels were set up to advise on assets investigation of some former public officers, abandoned properties in the three Eastern States, the location of the Federal Capital and creation of more states.
The administration announced a ‘low profile policy for public officers and he chose to stay at his home in Ikoyi rather than move into the more fortified Dodan Barracks residence. He occasionally startled observers by showing up at many places such as the Polo ground without protection. In the weeks leading to his assassination he was warned to be more cautious but he brushed aside all admonitions.
A simple leader with populist ideas, Murtala Mohammed had no speeding convoys. He refused heavily-armed security details and preferred to stay in the traffic with his ‘fellow Nigerians’ until it eased.
Creation of seven states: He set up a panel headed by Justice Ayo Irikefe on the creation of seven more states (Niger, Bauchi, Gongola, Benue, Ogun, Imo and Bendel) to the 12 existing ones on December 22, 1975. The panel came up with a report which was utilized in the formation of new states in 1976.
Making Abuja new Federal Capital Territory: To give the country a befitting capital as Lagos was becoming over-crowded, Mohammed set in motion plans to build a new Federal Capital Territory. He set up a panel headed by Justice Akinola Aguda, which chose Abuja ahead of other proposed locations. On February 3, 1976, 10 days before he was killed, he made an announcement that the Federal Capital would be moved to a ‘federal territory of about 8,000 square kilometres in the central part of the country.’
It is therefore not out of place to credit him with laying the foundation of a modern Nigeria. His agenda for the return of power to civil rule was respected by his successor who midwifes the civilian regime that emerged in 1979. So also was the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Political observers however linked his ouster to vengeance by Dimka and company who felt sympathy for their kinsman Gowon.
It is not in doubt that Mohammed had a reformist agenda as could be glimpsed from so much achieved and the foundation laid within the 6 months he held office. His low profile lifestyle, discipline and commitment to duty endeared him to Nigerians. His loss was one death too many.
